Disclaimer: All Jade Empire characters are the property of their rightful owners, not me.
Note from author: I thank everyone who commented and I graciously take your criticism and have rewritten this chapter (changing it to Chapter 1 instead of the prologue).
To Save You
Chapter One: Worry
Under the dark night sky, sparkling with its millions of stars and the full moon that shone in a beautiful light, the imperial city of the Jade Empire was buzzing with life. Here in this busy city, even in the dead of night, when people in other towns and villages were sound asleep, they were awake, walking the streets, buying goods from merchants, or in the imperial arena betting on matches.
High above the city, suspended in the air like a giant lantern was the imperial palace, home to Emperor Sun Hai and his brothers, Li and Kin.
The palace was all but silent, as the night servants went about with their jobs, cleaning the halls or preparing for the morning.
In his bedroom, Prince Sun Kin sat at his desk, gazing intently over some documents by the dim light of a lantern.
He was too agitated for the upcoming battle to feel fatigue.
Kin was the leader of the Lotus Order as well as the commander of the imperial army.
Kin was the youngest of the three Sun brothers, being only thirty years old. He was also the only unwed brother.
He was about five foot ten and had a well toned body, since he had had plenty of experience fighting out on the front lines and spent much of his time in practicing his skills. He had short black hair, dark eyes and olive skin. Currently, he was wearing orange and red night robes.
He was reading over the document written in his Li's messy hand. It was a carefully laid out plan of the siege in Dirge.
For the passed ten years, the Jade Empire suffered from the Long Drought. In the far reaches of the empire, people were dying. Crops couldn't grow, river dwelling animals were dying and that meant a lack of food. Hai wasn't about to let his empire crumble.
He and Li had figured out that if Hai could access the Water Dragon's power, he could stop the drought and start anew with the empire. The Water Dragon was the spirit in charge of rebirth and the shepherd of the dead. But she was failing in her job.
Hai had Li, the Glorious Strategist, conjure a plan on how to get into the sacred temple in Dirge and steal the Water Dragon's heart, and with it, her power to control the flow of much needed water.
Kin's only role was to make sure his troops would be able to get them into the temple unopposed by those blasted Spirit Monks.
But something bothered him. He had this feeling in the pit of his stomach that in doing this, they'd set in motion a fury of pain and suffering, for what good could come of desecrating something as sacred as a goddess?
Unable to push aside his worry, he got up and headed down the silent hallway, passed the rooms of the palace's other occupants who were fast asleep.
Entering the elevator within one of the palaces many spires, he waited for it to take him to the sixth floor and he walked through a corridor, pushing open the doors to the library where he found Li.
"Brother, I need to speak to you."
Li looked up from the books he was reading and gave him a curious gaze. "What is it, can you not see I am busy?"
"Please, I beg your pardon, but I have something important I must discuss with you."
Li closed his books and set them aside, standing up. "Make it quick."
"I've been reading over your documents, about…Dirge."
"Yes, and?"
"And…" Kin paused, "I think we should call the attack off."
"What!" Li asked, surprised.
"It's simply…I've been thinking that this can't lead to anything good. We are treading in uncharted waters. I fear such an attack will only bring more suffering."
Li walked over to his younger brother and put an arm around his shoulder, guiding him out of the library and back to his own room, which he shared with his wife, Li Mei.
"You are young and inexperienced," Li said, "You only see battle, not the subtle problems of an emperor. You do not understand what is happening. This world is dying. And with all death, there must be rebirth."
Their entrance caused Li Mei to awaken, and she slipped a blue robe over her violent nightdress, which did not hide the bulge of her pregnant belly, and walked out to greet her husband and brother in law. Tying her long black hair into a loose braid and letting it hang over one shoulder, she smiled. "Hello Prince Kin."
He nodded to her. "Hello Li Mei. It is good to see you again. I hope we were not the reason you are awake."
"No, the baby is. It's been keeping me up for the passed few nights, so you need not worry. Can I get you anything? Tea perhaps?"
"No thank you." He turned his attention back to his brother, "Now, you were saying?"
"Ah yes. So you see, this is to be a new era. The empire with flourish and we shall live in peace."
"But we are playing gods. That is a power not meant for man."
"You are blind to the truth Brother. Humans should decide the fates of other humans, not fiendish spirits!"
Kin had no reply. He turned away, clenching his teeth. He could not shake this uncomfortable feeling, but Li wouldn't listen.
"Excuse me a moment," Li said, "I'll be back in a moment." He left the room, walking to his wardrobe taking out a suit of armor he planned to wear the next day.
Meanwhile, Li Mei noticed Kin's expression. It was one of anger and distress. "I apologize for him. Sometimes Li just doesn't see things. He always assumes his plans are flawless."
"Perhaps he's right," Kin said. "Perhaps I'm just a foolish child who doesn't know any better."
She walked over to him and pressed two fingers gently to his jaw, forcing him to look at her. "You expect too much of yourself. You do not view the world as Li does. He has always been insightful, looking at things from every angle, and he's always been passionate about these things. Don't take what he says too seriously. You are a good man Kin. You think of others and you fear for them. You will make some woman very lucky someday."
"Yeah…someday." He forced a half smile, "I envy my brothers. Hai's got a daughter, and now you and Li have a child on the way. They were both fourteen years younger than I am now when they got married. When's it going to be my turn? I'm tired of being alone."
She felt such pity for him. Taking his face in her hands, she said, "I believe there is someone out there for everyone, you just haven't your someone yet. But she's out there, and when you find her, you'll know right away. Don't give up hope, sometimes Fate surprises us."
Li came back into the room, and seeing them, cast them a curious glance, "Am I interrupting something?"
Li Mei laughed and walked over to her husband, giving him a quick kiss. "No, I assure you."
Kin noticed the armor Li held and a shiver ran down his spine. It was black as night and the helmet bore a face that haunted Kin's dreams. "Why do you insist on wearing that? You know that no matter how many times I see it, it always frightens me."
"Then you should be thankful you do not have to wear it."
Kin laughed. "I suppose you are right. Anyway, I apologize for coming by so late, and I apologize for questioning you Li. I think I shall take my leave, and I will see you tomorrow."
As he walked out of the room, he paused and leaned against the wall. "I just hope I will not live to regret your choice Brother…"